A happy, healthy and creative child whose rights are protected and honoured in a society that is built on respect for dignity, justice and equity for all.
To enable people to take responsibility for the situation of the deprived Indian child and so motivate them to seek resolution through individual and collective action thereby enabling children to realise their full potential
To make people discover their potential for action and change
To enable peoples’ collectives and movements encompassing diverse segments, to pledge their particular strengths, working in partnership to secure, protect and honour the rights of India’s children
CRY was born of a dream to ensure happier childhoods for all children. In 1979, Rippan Kapur – an Indian Airlines purser – started CRY in India with 6 friends and just Rs.50.
In 2007, CRY was registered in the UK as a charity with the Charities Commission. The organisation’s reason for being is to ensure that the story of India’s children is heard in the UK and to garner support from corporations and individuals based in the country.
The funds generated are directed towards programs in India focused on enhancing the lives of marginalised children.
Trustee
Puja believes that children are the very foundation of every nation’s growth and development aspirations. It was this belief that fuelled her passion for children’s rights and inspired her to become a full fledged part of the social sector in 1994. A post-graduate in Human Resources from XISS Ranchi, Puja has worked with Citicorp in her previous avatar and joined CRY to set up the HR function. She went on to become the Chief Executive in 2010 and, over the past 25 years, has helped build a solid organisational framework for CRY which reflects the values of justice and equity for all children. Awarded the Olga Alexeeva Memorial Prize in 2018 for social innovation, she currently also serves on the board for VANI (Voluntary Action Network India) in an endeavour to strengthen public mobilisation for social causes.
Trustee
A post graduate diploma holder in Early Childhood Care & Education from Sophia College Polytechnic, Kreeanne began her career with ORG-MARG designing market research projects with children for brands like Colgate Palmolive and Godrej Foods. She joined CRY in 2000 to lead the Resource Generation team in the West and in 2005, set out to establish the marketing function for CRY America. She came back to India in 2010 and took up her current role of Director – West. Kreeanne’s passion lies in unlocking peoples’ potential to take transformative action that will deliver impact for marginalised children and communities.
Trustee
Currently emeritus professor of political philosophy at the University of Hull in Westminster as well as a labour member of the House of Lords, Lord Parekh has studied at the University of Bombay and later, at the London school economics. He has previously been a centennial professor at the London School of Economics and has been a visiting professor at McGill, Harvard, and UPenn. He is deeply interested in the well-being of children and their basic rights..
Chairperson & Trustee
Ram is the Managing Partner at Real Assets Investment Management Ltd. and strongly believes in Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy that it is easier to build strong children than to repair broken adults. He has been financially contributing to various children’s charities for several years and joined the CRY UK board in 2018. Prior to setting up his current investment platform in 2019, Ram worked in Goldman Sachs and at KKR & Co. for over 15 years. He has studied engineering and economics at BITS, Pilani and is a MBA from IIM Ahmedabad.
Trustee
With over 25 years of experience in the creative field, Raga has worked in senior advertising positions in India and New Zealand and has been the recipient of several prestigious awards. She is also the co-founder of Speaking Minds, India’s largest international speaker agency. She is a published author, an avid blogger, a host of several online shows and a well known advocate in the LGBT space.
Raga is currently writing two books and working on her first short film. She has been named amongst the top 100 wonder women in advertising, marketing and entertainment in 2021 and believes that children, if given wings, can fly to wherever they wish. Her decision to be a part of CRY UK is from her deep belief that education can truly change lives.
Raga is currently writing two books and working on her first short film. She has been named amongst the top 100 wonder women in advertising, marketing and entertainment in 2021 and believes that children, if given wings, can fly to wherever they wish. Her decision to be a part of CRY UK is from her deep belief that education can truly change lives.
Trustee
Vivek Govil is currently serving as a Non-Executive Director of an NHS Mental Health trust. He is an MBA from IIM Calcutta and has an MSc from SOAS in Environment, Politics and Development. He has worked at companies such as Oxford University Press, Pearson, the Oberoi group, Gillette, and Lintas. With over a decade of working in education in the UK and India, being a trustee for CRY UK is a natural extension of his professional and personal interests.
Trustee
Puja believes that children are the very foundation of every nation’s growth and development aspirations. It was this belief that fuelled her passion for children’s rights and inspired her to become a full fledged part of the social sector in 1994. A post-graduate in Human Resources from XISS Ranchi, Puja has worked with Citicorp in her previous avatar and joined CRY to set up the HR function. She went on to become the Chief Executive in 2010 and, over the past 25 years, has helped build a solid organisational framework for CRY which reflects the values of justice and equity for all children. Awarded the Olga Alexeeva Memorial Prize in 2018 for social innovation, she currently also serves on the board for VANI (Voluntary Action Network India) in an endeavour to strengthen public mobilisation for social causes.
Trustee
A post graduate diploma holder in Early Childhood Care & Education from Sophia College Polytechnic, Kreeanne began her career with ORG-MARG designing market research projects with children for brands like Colgate Palmolive and Godrej Foods. She joined CRY in 2000 to lead the Resource Generation team in the West and in 2005, set out to establish the marketing function for CRY America. She came back to India in 2010 and took up her current role of Director – West. Kreeanne’s passion lies in unlocking peoples’ potential to take transformative action that will deliver impact for marginalised children and communities.
Trustee
Currently emeritus professor of political philosophy at the University of Hull in Westminster as well as a labour member of the House of Lords, Lord Parekh has studied at the University of Bombay and later, at the London school economics. He has previously been a centennial professor at the London School of Economics and has been a visiting professor at McGill, Harvard, and UPenn. He is deeply interested in the well-being of children and their basic rights..
Chairperson & Trustee
Ram is the Managing Partner at Real Assets Investment Management Ltd. and strongly believes in Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy that it is easier to build strong children than to repair broken adults. He has been financially contributing to various children’s charities for several years and joined the CRY UK board in 2018. Prior to setting up his current investment platform in 2019, Ram worked in Goldman Sachs and at KKR & Co. for over 15 years. He has studied engineering and economics at BITS, Pilani and is a MBA from IIM Ahmedabad.
Trustee
With over 25 years of experience in the creative field, Raga has worked in senior advertising positions in India and New Zealand and has been the recipient of several prestigious awards. She is also the co-founder of Speaking Minds, India’s largest international speaker agency. She is a published author, an avid blogger, a host of several online shows and a well known advocate in the LGBT space.
Raga is currently writing two books and working on her first short film. She has been named amongst the top 100 wonder women in advertising, marketing and entertainment in 2021 and believes that children, if given wings, can fly to wherever they wish. Her decision to be a part of CRY UK is from her deep belief that education can truly change lives.
Raga is currently writing two books and working on her first short film. She has been named amongst the top 100 wonder women in advertising, marketing and entertainment in 2021 and believes that children, if given wings, can fly to wherever they wish. Her decision to be a part of CRY UK is from her deep belief that education can truly change lives.
Trustee
Vivek Govil is currently serving as a Non-Executive Director of an NHS Mental Health trust. He is an MBA from IIM Calcutta and has an MSc from SOAS in Environment, Politics and Development. He has worked at companies such as Oxford University Press, Pearson, the Oberoi group, Gillette, and Lintas. With over a decade of working in education in the UK and India, being a trustee for CRY UK is a natural extension of his professional and personal interests.
Trustee
Puja believes that children are the very foundation of every nation’s growth and development aspirations. It was this belief that fuelled her passion for children’s rights and inspired her to become a full fledged part of the social sector in 1994. A post-graduate in Human Resources from XISS Ranchi, Puja has worked with Citicorp in her previous avatar and joined CRY to set up the HR function. She went on to become the Chief Executive in 2010 and, over the past 25 years, has helped build a solid organisational framework for CRY which reflects the values of justice and equity for all children. Awarded the Olga Alexeeva Memorial Prize in 2018 for social innovation, she currently also serves on the board for VANI (Voluntary Action Network India) in an endeavour to strengthen public mobilisation for social causes.
Trustee
A post graduate diploma holder in Early Childhood Care & Education from Sophia College Polytechnic, Kreeanne began her career with ORG-MARG designing market research projects with children for brands like Colgate Palmolive and Godrej Foods. She joined CRY in 2000 to lead the Resource Generation team in the West and in 2005, set out to establish the marketing function for CRY America. She came back to India in 2010 and took up her current role of Director – West. Kreeanne’s passion lies in unlocking peoples’ potential to take transformative action that will deliver impact for marginalised children and communities.
One Of The Top 100 Nonprofits In The World
2018
Awarded to Puja Marwaha, CEO – CRY, For Social Innovation
2018
Best Multi Channel Campaign For A Cause (#YellowFellow)
2018
ICAI CSR Award for Best CSR Project In Health & Education
2014
CFBP Jamnalal Bajaj Award For Fair Business Practices
2014
RMI Roll Of Honor In Social Responsibility
2014
Quality Initiative Mission Award
2013
Citi Woman Leader Awarded To Puja Marwaha, CEO – CRY
2012
Fundraising Campaign Award
2011 & 2012
Lakshya Award
2009 & 2012
Indira Super Achiever Award
2003
Viewers Choice Most Effective Ad Of the Year
1996
Citizen Of Bombay Award For Rippan Kapur
1991
As a custodian of public funds, we ensure that all our financial statements are audited and all legal and statutory compliances are stringently adhered to.
FOUNDER, CHILD RIGHTS AND YOU
Chief Executive
Puja believes that children are the very foundation of every nation’s growth and development aspirations. It was this belief that fuelled her passion for children’s rights and inspired her to become a full fledged part of the social sector in 1994. A post-graduate in Human Resources from XISS Ranchi, Puja has worked with Citicorp in her previous avatar and joined CRY to set up the HR function. She went on to become the Chief Executive in 2010 and, over the past 25 years, has helped build a solid organizational framework for CRY which reflects the values of justice and equity for all children. Awarded the Olga Alexeeva Memorial Prize in 2018 for social innovation, she currently also serves on the board for VANI (Voluntary Action Network India) in an endeavor to strengthen public mobilization for social causes.
